Hiding Place’ sequel to feature windmill, Hope College

Yes, that was a German soldier you saw strolling through the Hope College campus Thursday afternoon.Crews are in town this week filming scenes for “Return to the Hiding Place,” an independent film telling the story of Dutch students who risk their lives to save Jews during World War II.Dir...

By PETER DAINING

Holland Sentinel

By PETER DAINING

Posted Jul. 30, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 30, 2010 at 12:25 PM

By PETER DAINING

Posted Jul. 30, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 30, 2010 at 12:25 PM

Holland, MI

Yes, that was a German soldier you saw strolling through the Hope College campus Thursday afternoon.

Crews are in town this week filming scenes for “Return to the Hiding Place,” an independent film telling the story of Dutch students who risk their lives to save Jews during World War II.

Director Peter Spencer said Holland’s scenery is the next best thing to the Netherlands. And building the backdrops would have cost $2 million — a budget buster for the low-budget production.

“This is like having a pre-made multi-million set,” he said during a break between takes at Centennial Park.

The crew will film in Michigan for more than a month at: the Felt Mansion, Centennial Park, Hope College and Windmill Island.

The studio scenes will be shot in Manistee and crews will be in the Netherlands for several days of filming.

By early 2011, Spencer hopes to be back in Holland to debut the final product.

“Holland, Michigan, is one of the places we’ll definitely want to screen the film,” he said.

Planning for the film started more than a decade ago, Spencer said, as he began writing down the experiences of his friend and mentor, Hans Poley.

Poley had to go into hiding after he refused to take an oath and join the Nazi movement. He was one of the first people concealed by Corrie ten Boom and her family.

As a university student, Poley was moved to action after seeing the atrocities of war. He was a soft-spoken physics student who couldn’t stand by during the Holocaust.

“He trembled through the whole war,” Spencer said. “He always said, ‘If not me, who? If not now, when?’ He realized there was nobody else to step in.”

Spencer hopes Poley’s attitude inspires today’s youth to action. “I give this as a challenge to young people,” Spencer said. “Teenagers being heroes isn’t seen very often today.”

Producer Petra Spencer Pearce said the production team first visited Holland after hearing about the 240-year-old DeZwaan windmill.

The windmill, ideal set locations and Michigan’s film incentives made the choice easy. More than a week into shooting, she’s still happy with the decision. “It’s just been a really good experience up here,” she said.

Sisters Rebekah and Rachel Taylor of Zeeland were on set Thursday as extras. They went to Goodwill and their mother’s closet to find the most 1940s-looking clothes possible.

A few times, Rebekah said they’ve been right behind the scene’s main action.

“It’s kind of tempting to be like, ‘Hi mom!’” she said.

Like most film sets, the pace is hectic and the intensity is high. Yet Spencer has been thinking often about his old friend Hans Poley, who died of cancer a few years ago.

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As the film forms in front of him, Spencer hopes it can do justice to his heroic friend.